Manager Dale Sveum may have averted the worst season in Chicago Cubs history, but will his job be in jeopardy if the brass doesn't see results in 2013?Sveum has managed this season very well, all things considered. There has not been any clubhouse commotion or drama, young players like Darwin Barney have exceeded expectations and the team was playing really well until the July 31st trade deadline when the team lost Ryan Dempster, Geovany Soto, Reed Johnson and Paul Maholm.The Cubs have gone 6-20 since then but have seen young prospects like Josh Vitters and Brett Jackson get their first ...

With Saturday's trade (via latimes.com) between the Red Sox and Dodgers, the Cubs lost a possible suitor for Alfonso Soriano. But with the month Soriano has had thus far, the list of possible teams seeking to procure the services of the rejuvenated left fielder may have expanded. In the month of August, Soriano has belted four home runs, knocked in 16 RBI and stolen three bases, though his batting average for the month is only .221.After clearing waivers on August 15, Soriano is sure to again be the target of trade speculation as the MLB season enters the stretch run. What held ...

The Cubs’ top prospects are good, but not yet to point that would make you say “this guy could definitely impact the team right now.” There are a few who, after a little more time, could play a role with the club in 2013. Some still need a little seasoning before next season—whether that means a late-season call-up, playing winter ball, extended spring training or a combination of all or some of these. Unfortunately for the Cubs, most of their best prospects are still at the A, A+ or Double-A level leaving their chances for a promotion to the North ...

Whatever plans the Chicago Cubs may have for pitcher Matt Garza during the 2012 season keep changing.Team president Theo Epstein surely hoped he would be able to trade Garza at midseason—presumably to a playoff contender—in exchange for a load of prospects that would help build depth in the club's minor league organization. Instead, Garza was diagnosed with a triceps injury shortly before the July 31 trade deadline, killing whatever interest other teams may have had in him. No one was going to take a chance on Garza without seeing him throw first. That became an even smarter decision when Garza's injury ...

The Chicago Cubs have locked up Starlin Castro with a long-term deal and the young shortstop will be calling Wrigley Field home for many years to come. NBC Sports’ D.J. Short reported that the contract is worth $60 million dollars over seven years and will keep the 22-year-old in a Cubs’ uniform until he is 29 years old. President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein—in his first season with the Cubs—sold off veterans such as Ryan Dempster and Geovany Soto at the trade deadline. It was another season in the seller’s role, as the team has struggled all season and is currently ...

The Chicago Cubs and shortstop Starlin Castro are reportedly thinking about committing to a long-term relationship.CSN Chicago's David Kaplan was the first to report that the Cubs and Castro are negotiating a six- to seven-year contract. That would buy out Castro's four seasons of arbitration eligibility as well as his first three years of free agency.(Castro qualifies as a "Super Two" player, meaning that he's earned a fourth year of arbitration over the usual three. As MLB Trade Rumors explains, a player with two years and 134 days of service time in the major leagues earns such status. This is why ...

Ryan Dempster held the Chicago Cubs hostage until the trade deadline before agreeing to a deal with the Texas Rangers. Alfonso Soriano is now exercising that same power, and it's time Cubs management put an end to this nonsense. Before the trade deadline, Soriano confirmed in Gordon Wittenmyer's column in the Chicago SunTimes he used his "10 and 5" rights to reject a move to the San Francisco Giants. He mentioned the only team he said yes to was the Los Angeles Dodgers. Speaking of the Cubs, he said, "I like it here; life is good." Why wouldn't he? He has no pressure to produce, and the ...

Theo Epstein and the Chicago Cubs are making sure that their rebuilding plan centerpiece will be playing at Wrigley Field for the foreseeable future as they try to extend Starlin Castro. The Cubs have been working on a long-term deal with Castro which could amount to six or seven years, according David Kaplan of Comcast SportsNet Chicago. Kaplan writes that the extension—which could be finalized by the end of the 2012 season—is expected to buyout his remaining arbitration years as well as at least two years of free agency. Chicago has worked tirelessly this season to find out what their ...

Alfonso Soriano has cleared waivers and is eligible to be traded according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Of course, you probably aren't overly interested that he is eligible to be traded. You want to know if he will be traded. The chances are definitely good that Soriano will not be playing in Wrigley Field by the end of the season. The main reason for this claim is because he is actually having a pretty strong year and Chicago is willing to pay a large portion of his contract. In terms of the first part of that statement, Soriano is ...

For the foreseeable future, the Chicago Cubs have become the organization’s AAAA affiliate. AAAA Chicago: Where those believed too good for AAA, or those who require major league level instruction to cure their minor league woes, go to develop into the future of the club. It has been a little over a week since the Cubs called up both the highly regarded Brett Jackson—ranked as the Cubs No. 1 prospect by both Baseball Prospectus and Baseball America—and Josh Vitters, also a top 10 Cubs prospects. With a little over a week’s worth of playing time, it seems logical to declare ...